Orbitol Blues Problems

[jenrldcm]

Picked up the RT-S Saturday in the cold. Hurray! Was almost to cold Sunday but got to test it out a few miles. Already got a trip scheduled back for a few problems but got a good dealer that will take care of me.

Minor problems my trusted dealer mechanic will fix:

1. Bike went dead twice in the garage even after it was warmed up and then once at a red light. Started right back up.

2. Rear heated handgrips not coming on.

3. Can't tell for sure, but don't think the air ride is actually working. Don't hear anything while adjusting or putting weight on it.

4. Not sure as to the temp of the bike. Was 38 out and the bike was very warm. Almost to the red zone of the gauge. When the bike was turned off, the fan ran pretty hard and then when the fan went off a very hight pitched sound was heard?

5. I can't wait for the weather to break!

6. It is my wife's new toy and she told me to ride my 2 wheel bike if I felt the urge. RATS! Can't afford another yet!

7. Have to change to pic to the new bike.

[BumbleBee]

No telling how long the spyders have been sitting.

Good advice I was given, is to, unplug your relays one by one, and then replug them in again. I hope that helps :2thumbs:

[Lamonster]

Your RT dying could be a low battery.

You should be able to hear the air pump and it should get harder. The bike has to be running for it to work. A weak battery may be the problem there too.

The RT getting hot would concern me though, there should be no reason for it to get that hot in that weather. We were driving in 97 degrees when we first got our RT's and it never went into the red. You got something going on there that needs to be fixed.

[retired1]

When I took the RTS demo out for the ride, I tried to adjust the suspension but it did not seem to make a difference. The owner set it upbecause he wanted to see how long it took to assemble.
After I bought my RTS I stopped in at the shop and my mechanic told me that to set the air ride, the instructions said to preload 30lbs. and then adjust the pump etc. He had just finished mine and th air adjustment w
orked fine. He told me that the boss had not done the preload step.

[slather1]

That sounds like too many issues for a new machine. Either the dealer needs to look the machine over better or show the new owner the features in a more detail. Good luck with your issues. Has anyone posted pictures of the Orbital Blue in the sunlight? I can't wait to see good pictures.

[SpyderGirl]

High temp MIGHT be a loose radiator cap, but I could be guessing here. Sounds like that unit needs to go back.

[AntelopeSpyder]

That sounds like too many issues for a new machine. Either the dealer needs to look the machine over better or show the new owner the features in a more detail. Good luck with your issues. Has anyone posted pictures of the Orbital Blue in the sunlight? I can't wait to see good pictures.

I took these pictures when I took my demo ride in November.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=582&pictureid=7011



http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=582&pictureid=7012

[Lamonster]

Any word on your RT?

[AntelopeSpyder]

Any word on your RT?

Lamonster, if you are talking to me, I need to sell my Goldwing before I order an RT. I am hoping when the weather warms up it will happen. Planning on a trip to Yellowstone in June and would like to take the Spyder.

[westgl]

I wonder if your electric fan is coming on? definitely have the dealer fix the problem.

When it was getting warm did you keep the rpm up on the engine, 4k or higher to make sure you are not lugging the motor,(Lugging the motor can cause the motor to run warm & bad on the engine) and keeping plenty of coolant moving.

Do not be afraid to rev that motor and keep the rev's above 5K is best

Hey Antelopespyder,

A Yellowstone trip sounds great, say hi to yoggi & booboo That Blue trailer looks real nice.:2thumbs:

Westgl

[jenrldcm]

Sat. and off work today with a high temp around mid 40's. Would rather ride, but taking the new toy back to the deler to resolve problems I listed on this post.

1. Have started the bike twice in the garage and let it warm up and it did not go dead either time. Hopefully was just a low battery from the start but am noticing that the rpm's are varing somewhat at a idle.

2. Rear heated handgrips still not warming. Hoping for just something like a loose relay from shipment.

3. With not hearing anything when adjusting the air ride system, am also hope for something shook loose there alos like maybe the same relay as the heated handgrip.

4. The temp of the bike, I have been told before that BRP uses all the gauge instead of what I am use to on bike such as the temp in the middle of the gauge. The fan was running and still ran when it was turned off so this is still an issue they will have to address today.

5. The weather did break, so that issue would be good if it wasn't going to the bike Doctor today.

6. As it is STILL my wife's bike, they do have a RTS PE SE on the floor that is really nice. The wife, yeah, the wife says NO still on another so.........we will see.

[retired1]

jenrrldcm;
Make sure the mechanic preloads the front trunk with 30lbs before adjusting the air ride. The demo at my dealer was assembled without this step being done, and the air ride did not work. The mechanic who assembled mine did do this step and it works great. He surmised that some computer, similar to the one for the passenger sensor, controled the air ride pump.

[NancysToy]

Sat. and off work today with a high temp around mid 40's. Would rather ride, but taking the new toy back to the deler to resolve problems I listed on this post.

1. Have started the bike twice in the garage and let it warm up and it did not go dead either time. Hopefully was just a low battery from the start but am noticing that the rpm's are varing somewhat at a idle.

My RT-S had problems taking a charge initially. After a couple of days on the charger, the battery came up to full charge and passed a load test at the dealer. It may be less than optimal, but it is working fine for now.

2. Rear heated handgrips still not warming. Hoping for just something like a loose relay from shipment.

The rear handgrips will only work when the Spyder is running. They controls work different from the front. They have to be turned on with one switch button, then the temp is raised or lowered with the others.

3. With not hearing anything when adjusting the air ride system, am also hope for something shook loose there also like maybe the same relay as the heated handgrip.

Again, the Spyder has to be running. When not moving, you have to be in first gear or reverse with the parking brake off to adjust the suspension. When moving you can be in any gear. Don't forget the pre-load.

4. The temp of the bike, I have been told before that BRP uses all the gauge instead of what I am use to on bike such as the temp in the middle of the gauge. The fan was running and still ran when it was turned off so this is still an issue they will have to address today

This still does not seem right. I suspect a bad thermostat. My RT-S runs in the lower part of the gauge in cool weather, as did both demos I rode. The fan comes on at a water temp of 216 degrees, so you should not reach that while riding steadily, except in very hot weather or stop and go traffic.

5. The weather did break, so that issue would be good if it wasn't going to the bike Doctor today.

:(

6. As it is STILL my wife's bike, they do have a RTS PE SE on the floor that is really nice. The wife, yeah, the wife says NO still on another so.........we will see.
Best of luck at the Spyder doc...and figuring out this complicated rascal.

[Lamonster]

4. The temp of the bike, I have been told before that BRP uses all the gauge instead of what I am use to on bike such as the temp in the middle of the gauge. The fan was running and still ran when it was turned off so this is still an issue they will have to address today.

One thing you might want to do is make sure your coolant level is where it should be and your cap is tight. I would take it off and reset it. A cap that's not seated all the way will cause it to over heat. It will get tight before it's seated so pay close attention to that.

[jenrldcm]

Thanks to all the suggestions. The bike went to the dealer and came home several hours later supposedly fixed.
1. They hooked it up and found no faults as to why it just would stop running at idle. Said to ride it a little longer and see what happens?? In other words. they don't know and can't fix it if not doing it when it is there. I think that with the rpm's varying from 1300 to 1400, it droped below to 1200 rpms and just died. Seemed like I saw it flash that once maybe.

2. Rear heated hand grips DO work. Book says turn them on by hitting hign or low. It says nothing about a passanger has to be sitting on the rear seat for them to come on. Duh was all i could say.

3. And now I also know about the air ride system and it having to at least be in 1st gear to work. Guess that is a double Duh. But now I know.

4. They check all about the temp of the bike but said it was fine. Riding home, the gauge was in the middle this time. I think they had to pull the cap off and when it was re-seated it took care of the problem

5. All in all, it is ready! Thanks

[NancysToy]

Thanks to all the suggestions. The bike went to the dealer and came home several hours later supposedly fixed.
1. They hooked it up and found no faults as to why it just would stop running at idle. Said to ride it a little longer and see what happens?? In other words. they don't know and can't fix it if not doing it when it is there. I think that with the rpm's varying from 1300 to 1400, it droped below to 1200 rpms and just died. Seemed like I saw it flash that once maybe.

2. Rear heated hand grips DO work. Book says turn them on by hitting hign or low. It says nothing about a passanger has to be sitting on the rear seat for them to come on. Duh was all i could say.

3. And now I also know about the air ride system and it having to at least be in 1st gear to work. Guess that is a double Duh. But now I know.

4. They check all about the temp of the bike but said it was fine. Riding home, the gauge was in the middle this time. I think they had to pull the cap off and when it was re-seated it took care of the problem

5. All in all, it is ready! Thanks
Aha! This isn't mentioned in the service manual, either. Good to know. Glad you got things sorted out. This machine is more complex than it seems.